You may have noticed… extensions have become really popular. But there’s a big difference between something that has just gained a lot of popularity and become trendy, and something that is someone’s passion and life’s work. Hair extensions have been something that I have been passionate about for almost two decades.

One of the aspects I feel most passionate about is how deeply hair extensions can change women’s lives. I never want that reasoning to sit second in the running for something that just seems super popular because it’s on social media. The first thing that drew me to extensions was that they could make such an impact. When you change the way a woman looks and how she feels about herself, it goes deep—it changes her confidence level, how she walks, and how she talks. The popularity of hair extensions is coming around for so many reasons—some good, some not so good.

I want to speak for a moment to fellow industry professionals who may be just getting into hair extensions or considering getting certified. You can get certified in an extension method in about a day now, but just because you have a certification doesn’t mean you should just start offering the service. I pose the following question to newly certified stylists, “Do you feel confident offering the service and having someone show up on the other side and have a good result?” Along with, “Have you put in the time and the work and had more than just a day or two of consistent practice?” Hair extensions are something that requires so many hours of dedication before you offer it as a case study or especially as a full-time service.

To be clear—this is coming from a good place. My perspective on extension specialists is the more the merrier—the more people that we can have on board that really feel connected to the service and are really pouring their heart and soul into it within the industry, the better off our niche will be. What I don’t want is the people on board for the quick money or for the before and afters. There are so many important details that can be missed if the person isn’t truly dedicated to the ins and outs of extensions. Most importantly is the person’s experience—is it pulling, is it damaging anything? When you damage someone’s hair it can take years to heal that damage so it’s vital you’re asking these questions and ensuring that the service you are offering is top notch.

Through my training with Natural Beaded Rows I learned a training technique called “power practice.” Essentially you take what you’ve learned and you practice it 15 minutes a day for several months before you ever work on a guest. You have to make sure that you feel confident in what you are able to perform. Your skillset doesn’t have to be perfection, but you do need to be confident that you will not damage someone’s hair while performing the service. It’s so important to find an educational experience that not only certifies you, but also offers you a consistent platform of advanced, ongoing education. Having this support helps you get over your hiccups and continue pouring into your craft.

Essentially, my philosophy on it is—be passionate about it so much so that you’re willing to put in the work to uphold the service. I believe if we all have that mindset, everyone can win.